


That One Rare Little Word

by leafykeen



Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Bruce Needs a Hug, Bruce and Jason have a good relationship, Bruce gets a hug, Bruce is a good dad, Canon What Canon, Father son relationship, Gen, Jason is a good son, Nightmares
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-13
Updated: 2020-01-13
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:41:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22238806
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leafykeen/pseuds/leafykeen
Summary: "It was stupid. Jason was alive. He was okay. Bruce had seen him only a few hours before and he wasfine.He was fine."Bruce has nightmares about losing Jason.
Relationships: Jason Todd & Bruce Wayne
Comments: 12
Kudos: 242





	That One Rare Little Word

**Author's Note:**

> I can write one entire genre and it's ANGST.

_he was digging_

_he was digging and digging and digging_

_through endless piles of rubble_

_and while he was digging he was screaming_

_"Jason!"_

_Jason_

_not Robin_

_Jason_

_his son_

_the smoke and the flames and the digging digging digging and finally_

_a hand_

_his son's hand_

_he ran and he reached and he pleaded and the hand_

_the lifeless hand_

_his son's hand_

_was never within reach_

_never again_

Bruce woke with a start. He was drenched in sweat, barely able to catch his breath. 

His relationship with Jason had improved dramatically in the past few months, but that rediscovered closeness had betrayed him by digging up old anxieties. 

He felt like a child trying to hold back tears after a nightmare. He felt pathetic. He felt... 

Like he desperately needed to see his son. Immediately. 

It was stupid. Jason was alive. He was okay. Bruce had seen him only a few hours before and he was _fine._ He was fine. 

Bruce did not need to get up and drive across the city to reassure himself that Jason was alive and well all because of a dream. Not when he could just call him, anyway. 

Bruce searched about in the dark for his cell phone, and winced as the bright screen came on. After turning down the brightness and giving his eyes a second to adjust, he pulled up the shortcut to Jason's contact and pressed _call._ It rang three times. Bruce felt stupid. 

_"Hello?"_ Jason sounded groggy. _Stupid stupid stupid._

"Did I wake you? I'm sorry." 

_"No, no it's okay. What's up?"_

"Um," Bruce hesitated. He hadn't considered that he'd have to have a reason for calling, that just needing to hear Jason's voice wasn't really enough. He hesitated too long. 

_"B? What's wrong? What's going on?"_ He sounded wide awake now, which just made Bruce feel even more stupid. 

"Nothing's wrong. Everything's okay. I just, um," he hesitated again, "I forgot to say goodnight. That's all." 

_"That's what you're calling me for?"_

"Yes," he pressed on, "just to say goodnight. And to make sure you're okay." 

There was a pause on the other end. _"I can come over if you need me to."_

Bruce sighed. "Jay, lad, no-" 

_"I'll be right over. ETA twenty-five minutes."_

"Jason, no," he said again, "it's very late, and I'd much prefer you not be driving right now." 

_"....fine."_ It was Jason's turn to sigh. _"Tomorrow's Saturday though, right? I'll plan to stop by for brunch. Okay?"_

Bruce glanced at the time on his phone. Brunch was barely five hours away. He could handle five hours. "I'll see you in the morning then. Goodnight son." 

Jason chuckled. _"Goodnight, dad. See you in the morning."_

It wasn't the first time Jason had called him _dad_ since coming back, but that one rare little word was always Bruce's undoing. He was choking back tears for the second time that night when he said, "See you in the morning," and hung up. 

___________________________________________________ 

Bruce headed down to the kitchen five hours later, awake, but barely. He'd considered going right back to sleep when his alarm went off at 9:45, but then he had remembered his phone call with Jason, and further sleep was foregone. 

Bruce entered the kitchen to find all five of his children talking and arguing and laughing about something he didn't care to try to understand on so little sleep. He sat down at the island with a mug of coffee from Tim and a kiss on the cheek from Cassandra. Ten minutes later Dick, Tim, Cass, Damian, and Alfred left for the dining room laden with dishes and silverware. Only Jason stayed behind. He leaned against the island next to Bruce with a soft smile. " 'Morning." 

Bruce stood up and pulled Jason into a tight hug. Jason hugged back after a moment, and Bruce's anxiety finally started to melt away. He stood holding his son tighter than was probably comfortable, for longer than he had in a long time. He finally let go and stepped back, his hands still gripping Jason's shoulders. "Good morning, son." 

**Author's Note:**

> This is terrible. I'm sorry. I've been thinking about it for at least two years.  
> Please tell me if you notice any typos or tense changes. I could make things easier on myself and not write are 4 am, but let's be realistic. That's never going to happen.


End file.
